Restroom Amenities Color Business Perception

12/01/2011 |

Despite strong attitudes about the cleanliness of a restroom, many people are lax with handwashing.

More than 80% of consumers would avoid a restaurant with a dirty restroom, according to a recent survey by Zogby International. Only 38% would avoid a retail establishment with the same issue, however.

The study, commissioned by global hygiene company SCA, surveyed nearly 3,000 North American adults and U.S. college students to examine their hand hygiene practices and handwashing amenity demands.

Despite the participants’ high expectations for businesses they frequent, the study also noted poor personal handwashing practices were common, with 40% of U.S. adults and 53% of Canadian adults occasionally skipping soap while washing their hands and about 25% of both populations opting not to wash their hands after coughing or sneezing.

More than 65% of the adult respondents say they never or only sometimes continue using hot air dryers until their hands are completely dry, though other SCA research shows damp hands can spread up to 500 times more germs than dry hands.

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